


Man or Monster?

by DysfunctionalSerenity



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:22:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29552778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DysfunctionalSerenity/pseuds/DysfunctionalSerenity
Summary: Wesker finds and takes in a newly strayed beast and claims it as his pet. While his new pet is rather pleasant company most of the time, he needs a lot of training before he can be taken out on the field. And with that important mission for his charge looming overhead, the training will have to be steep.
Relationships: Chris Redfield/Albert Wesker
Comments: 30
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

STARS hadn’t been as busy lately as they usually were, enough so that even Alpha team’s captain had some rare downtime. He spent the evening of his day off hiking in the Arklay Mountains as he used to do often back when he worked in the laboratory hidden within. He was out later than he intended which didn’t bother him, sure of his ability to handle whatever the night threw at him. Until he heard something like a whine further off to his left, it was distant and sounded like a wounded animal. Usually something like this wouldn’t attract his attention, he’d once sat and watched as a fox killed and ate a rabbit in this very forest- it was just the circle of life. However he couldn’t instantly identify what animal had made the sound and curiosity got the better of him so he began to follow it. The closer he got, he decided it almost sounded like a dog though it was far too gruff and large to be such. 

He calmly vaulted himself over a fallen tree as he went, crunching earth underfoot as he landed and all sound from the animal ceased, leaving only an eerie emptiness in its absence. That had him on guard, whatever it was… it was trying to hide from him. There were animals that were smart enough to disguise their sounds when either hunting or hiding but something about this didn’t feel right. He caught the slightest movement and tilted his head to get a better look around as he searched for whatever it was. He inched closer to where the movement had come from and when he got close enough to almost see what was there, he heard a harsh growling just before something whirled at him. Thanks to his fast reflexes he was able to dodge the rock that had been hurled at him. Alright so he definitely wasn’t dealing with an animal- animals didn’t throw rocks. Rather than deter him, it only served to help him find whatever was trying to scare him away. 

When he finally reached the source of the whimpering the creature turned to snarl and growl dangerously at him. He just stood there and stared in shock at what he was seeing. Laying on the floor of the forest was a large beast with a deadly glare set on him. Wesker’s mind reeled as he tried to rationalize what he was looking at… it was definitely of the canine family but it also had too many humanoid traits to dismiss. It was larger than any man or beast he had seen before, its visible skin was another worldly black color while the fur that covered most of its body was a dark brown. Its head was more beast than human with a snout full of sharpened and bloodied teeth. The ears on top of its head were titled back like a predator’s about to pounce and its incredibly blue eyes that glowed sharply with slitted pupils were trained on him intently. The torso was more humanoid with broad shoulders, spine alignment was slightly more curved, the arms were longer, the hands were larger, and it possessed deadly looking claws. The creature’s hips were also that of a human’s though with it laying on its stomach he couldn’t see any genitalia to be able to tell its gender. He could barely make out the tail from where it lay still in anticipation but it was there and appeared shaped more like that of a dog’s than a wolf’s. The legs were a mix between the two species, the muscle shape suggested human but the skeletal structure said canine. The knees bent forward and the ankle was placed higher and bent back to allow the creature to walk on all fours though the positioning of the feet would also allow for it to walk on just two legs. The balls of its feet were shaped and padded like those of a canine’s but it had toes that were clawed like the fingers were. 

His rational thoughts pushed past the wonder and curiosity to tell him to be cautious because there was no way this thing wasn’t deadly. But it hadn’t moved to attack him yet and from the look it was giving him, he could tell it wanted to so why hadn’t it? Keeping a good distance he walked around it and though it tried to move with him, it wasn’t able to and now the blond man could see why. It was caught in a bear trap. The beast’s thrashing in an attempt to escape only helped to bury the spikes deeper into its twisted ankle, blood spilled from the deep gashes and the bone was definitely broken. Trying to move again jolted the trap and erupted a howl of pain from the unknown canine creature. Then Wesker noticed more blood on its torso and absentmindedly stepped closer to try to see it better but night had fallen and the darkness of its skin and fur made it hard to determine the depth of the cut on its side. From the amount of blood, it must be bad. Seeing how close he was, the beast swung a clawed hand back at him though he saw it in time to step back out of reach. Wesker felt fear rise in him at realizing how fast it was… had it not been so weak from blood loss, that swipe surely would have taken his head. He needed to be more careful. 

Leaving the beast where it was, Wesker took off in a jog back to his car. He couldn’t let this wonderful creature die so pathetically or risk it being discovered by someone else. Ideas of what to do with it- the tests and possibilities it could open up exploded in his mind as he grabbed his first aid kit, a flashlight, and some rope he kept handy in his trunk. He rushed back to where he had met the canine to find it had crawled a little way and though it wasn’t far, it was enough to put it into even more pain now. Wesker didn’t know an animal’s face could be so expressive but he could easily see the agony written there so clearly. Noticing his return, the creature focussed him with a glare and a warning growl. Ignoring that, the blond man put the first aid kit down as he tied a loop into the end of the rope before he very slowly and carefully approached the beast. It growled louder and snapped at him but he wasn’t deterred. He was focused intently on every little move, sure he could do this since the creature was so weak currently. 

A heavy arm lunged at him but he was prepared for the attack and dodged to the side, managing to slip the looped rope around the beast’s wrist and pull it tight. Howling with anger the creature threw its other arm out to catch him, Wesker moving just slow enough to get nicked in the arm but he held his ground. He dragged the arm he had captured with him as he moved around the creature’s side when the free arm swiped backward at him again but with the bad angling, it only worked to help Wesker tie it in place with the other behind the creature’s back to further trap it. The blond wound and tied the rope up to the thing’s elbows to better secure it. He wasn’t sure if the rope would hold, he was really relying on the belief that the beast was too weak from its injuries to keep fighting and break free. He took a few steps back and watched for several minutes as the canine thrashed and howled but soon stopped and returned to whimpering in pain as its efforts only made the wounds worse. It watched Wesker warily as it breathed heavily, too exhausted now to move much as he grabbed the first aid kit and stepped closer again. The trapped creature shifted away from him with something akin to fear now but when brilliant blue eyes found the box he held, it stilled as if recognizing the meaning of the red cross on the front. 

Curious, Wesker displayed the symbol more and the creature slowly calmed down though its muscles were still tight with suspicion. Wesker took another step closer which caused the creature to tense a little more but it made no other movement or sound of objection. So he dared to close the distance until he was standing directly at the beast’s side where he slowly sat, watching for any negative reaction… there wasn’t one. Pulling the flashlight from his pocket, he turned it on and shined it at the wound in front of him though it wrapped around to the creature’s front which meant he would need to turn it over. He sighed, wondering how he was going to manage that. He looked back to the creature’s eyes since it had turned and positioned its head so it could still watch him. 

“Do you understand me?” he asked and the canine grunted at him before looking away. If he were dealing with a person, he’d say they were sassing him. He took that to mean yes. “I have to turn you over to see the full extent of the damage.” he told the creature though he still wasn’t completely sure it could actually understand his words. Once it was on its side it would have the perfect chance to bend over and fatally bite him if he stayed in front of it. So he stood to step over it and roll it onto its side from behind where its snout wouldn’t be able to reach him. But it made no attempt to attack him, it only grunted and whimpered with the movement. Wesker again took a moment to study the fantastic beast, its eyes squeezed shut and its ears pressed flat against its head… it was all amazing to him. 

Sitting in front of the animal now held the same problem as being there when rolling it over. He considered tying its neck to something but he was out of rope. He already intended to give it the sedative shot in his kit but he didn’t think he could administer the drug without riling the creature up again. That wouldn’t be good since he wasn’t sure if the single dose would be enough to knock it out even in this weakened state. He saw the creature looking at him again and when he met its gaze, as if knowing where his eyes were even through his sunglasses, it lowered its head in a sign of submission. This fantastically lethal creature submitting to him gave him a rush of excitement. He decided healing this beast was worth the risk of it hurting him though he kept his knife in his lap ready for quick use if need be. 

So he sat in front of the creature and examined the torn flesh starting on its left side and reaching up its ribs nearly to the chest. The front of the torso was mostly skin which made it easier to see and with the flashlight nothing was hidden from his eyes. The gash was long and thin, probably made by a good knife swing. It was shallow enough not to be fatal but deep enough to be problematic. Stitches would be the best course of action so he turned his flashlight to the first aid kit to grab what he would need. Once he had everything out and waiting to be used on top of the box, he turned his attention to the suspicious glare still watching him. 

“It needs stitches.” he said plainly. “I can do it now but it will hurt.” the canine blew out a hot puff of breath, the muscles in its jaw clenching as it thought. Wesker was even more amazed when the creature, with resignation and hesitation, bowed its head at him in a form of a nod. That confirmed it could understand him and was allowing him to tend to it, sending more excitement through Wesker at the prospect of having this creature to himself. He stuck the end of the flashlight in his mouth to hold it so he could set to work with both hands. After the wound was cleaned and disinfected, he threaded the needle and started the first stitch. He was getting bolder now, ignoring the creature grunting and growling at him, believing it was just from the pain and not from any harmful intent. For now at least. He watched the beast’s eyes, noting when it would squeeze its eyes shut and when it would try to keep watching him. Once he had that down, it was all too easy to slip in the needle of the syringe in place of the threaded needle to inject the sedative. He wasn’t sure if it would do anything but he needed to knock it out if he was to have any hope of moving it. 

Out of curiosity, Wesker’s eyes flicked down to the creature’s groin to see if it was male or female though there was too much fur in the way and it was too dark to really tell. This annoyed him but it wasn’t of consequence. The lack of breasts, human or otherwise, and the definition of the pectoral muscles suggested male but he couldn’t know for sure. The creature had a lean build, defined but not so much so that it couldn’t belong to a female and the hips were evenly proportioned with the rest of the body so that wasn’t any help either. He chalked it down as something to figure out later, probably through a sample of its blood. 

Once he was done tying off the last stitch, he met the creature’s gaze again. Its eyes were still more clear than he was hoping but it did seem even more tired than before. He stood to move to the bear trap, using his flashlight to get a better look at the mess. The bone was broken just as he thought, perhaps even worse than he thought- shattered would be a better word for what he could see. He kneeled down, careful to keep away from the clawed paw that was still loose, and gripped both sides of the bear trap to pry them apart. It took a lot of effort with how stuck in the canine’s flesh and bone it was but it did eventually come loose. As soon as the creature was free, it pulled its leg away from the trap and began to struggle and worm away from Wesker since it couldn’t do much else with its arms tied behind its back. Wesker followed slowly behind it, noticing how the movements slowed and then stopped altogether. Its eyes were closed now and its entire body was still aside from the slow rise and fall of its chest as it breathed. He wasn’t sure if the sedative had worked or if the blood loss and exhaustion finally claimed it, perhaps both. Having dragged itself on its stomach again, Wesker worried that it had ripped open the stitches. 

He moved to roll the creature over again to check when he suddenly froze at the sound of a loud crack. It was followed by another and then another. Wesker watched in awed terror as the beast’s bones cracked and repositioned, its fur receded, the skin lightened, the claws shrank to nails, and the tail retracted. The head underwent the most change, going from something entirely canine to completely human with audible and visual snaps that were painful to experience even as an observer. It was a long process and he watched every moment of it until all the sounds and movement ceased and what was in front of him was no longer a beast but a man. He had the same lean build as the creature, the short dark brown hair on his head matched that of the beast’s fur, and his tanned skin was marred by blood from the same wounds. Even with these coinciding details, if he hadn’t witnessed it himself he never would have believed that this man was the same canine creature he came across stuck in that bear trap. 

Wesker had been wary of any sounds or indications that there may be other people around when he was with the beast but now he was bordering on paranoid of it. Being found with an injured animal, even a supposed mythical one, in the forest was one thing but being found with an injured man tied up and naked in the forest… that was another matter entirely. Noticing that his arms weren’t bound tightly anymore thanks to the man’s sudden shrinkage, Wesker tightened his restraints. Then he went back to where he had found him to hide any trace of the blood that had pooled and the drag marks. He gathered his things and even took the bear trap as well since it was covered in the mysterious creature’s… man’s blood. He set everything into his trunk, telling himself he would have to thoroughly clean it later since he didn’t have anything to wrap the blood coated items in. Then he went back to the unconscious man, glad no one else had stumbled upon him while he was gone. The blond carefully turned the man over to check that the stitches were still in place, his gaze flicking again downward. Yes, definitely a man. Wesker cautiously lifted the brunet into his arms to carry him, thinking that at least moving him was much easier now that the man was smaller than him. He looked him over again as he walked back to his car, realizing how young he actually was and decided he couldn’t be more than in his early twenties. Not for the first time, Wesker wondered what happened. 

He was lucky not to run into anyone in the parking area as he laid the naked and still bleeding man across his back seat. He was even luckier not to run into anyone as he carried the man from his car into his apartment. When he was dealing with a beast, he had thought of several places he could take it to keep it safely hidden and contained but now things were different. He wasn’t just dealing with an intelligent animal anymore, he was dealing with a person. Before he took any more steps, he needed information to figure out what direction to take this situation in. So he would finish treating his wounds, clean him up, perhaps dress him, then secure him until he awoke. Depending on how he reacted when he was conscious and what he was able to get out of him, he would either keep him bound or release him. 

Now it was just a matter of waiting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah the editing is finally done! So I have a mer!Wesker fic and I had an idea for a mer!Chris fic but a paragraph in, it turned into this instead. I want to stay away from the word 'werewolf' since he's more of a 'weredog' but that doesn't have the same ring so a friend suggested 'weremutt' and I couldn't help but to laugh over it so it'll at least get mentioned probably as a joke.  
> I literally procrastinated posting this for two full days because I couldn't think of a title, I'm so bad at titles. Anyway let me know what you think so far.  
> For anyone coming over from Imprisonment, thanks for your continued support! For anyone just finding my work, hey, I'm Ren. I hope you enjoy your journey with us and I for one am happy to have you here. For everyone, let's get this show on the road! Please keep your seatbelts buckled and your hands away from the mouths of any dangerous looking creatures. And no walking through the forest at night... never know what may be lurking.


	2. Chapter 2

Blue eyes slowly blinked open as he came to but returned consciousness meant returned pain. Everything hurt and he groaned to himself, regretting being awake. There was the familiar ache all over his body that he always experienced the days following a full transformation which were usually limited to roughly once every month or two but last night had been one of the rare exceptions. He racked his mind for what exactly happened but after… after they… everything was hazy after that. He knew he would get bits back with time but never the full picture. But he tried harder to remember than usual, hoping that something he saw after turning would be useful but he also wanted to know why his side and his leg hurt so much damn worse than anything he’d experienced before. He would have screamed if he didn’t have something shoved into his mouth. At first he thought nothing of the extra bit of pain in his jaw and shoulders, summing it up with the usual stiffness from turning and then changing back but when he went to rub at his jaw, he learned two things. One, his hands were cuffed to the fixture for a radiator and two, he was gagged. 

Panic set in as he tried to yank himself free but his side screamed at him for the pain it caused so he stopped. He was already propped up sitting back against a wall so he looked down to find his entire midsection had been covered in gauze. Under the thin bandage he could see the outline of a thicker patch of gauze that stretched from his ribs and wrapped around his side. He could imagine the wound pretty easily since he could feel it all too well. Then he saw his leg and froze. It seemed to have been cared for as well as his side though he couldn’t see much through the dressing which was spotted with red here and there. It was heavily splinted suggesting a bad break which was the most horrible news yet as it limited his possibility of escape… at least it explained the pain. So far that’s all he remembered of last night- pain, pain, and more pain. 

He slumped back against the wall and looked up at his hands. They were secured above his head and he knew if he pulled himself up he could use his hands to get the gag out of his mouth but it would just cause more unnecessary pain. Even if he could scream for help, his captors were professionals so they would have taken him somewhere no one could hear him so getting a gag out of his mouth wasn’t worth the risk of ripping the stitches in his side. He needed to focus on healing as fast as he could so he could make and enact a real escape plan. Damn it he really thought changing would have been enough to get away from them… but it seemed not. They still got him and they got… he had to get out of here. He tried to formulate some sort of plan but he was still too panicked to really figure anything out. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his heavy breathing. Losing his cool here and now would only do more damage. He had to calm down. But that was always easier said than done especially when he was alone. 

It took a while but he finally calmed down enough to really take in his surroundings. He was in a medium sized, sparsely furnished bedroom. Only the very basics existed and there were no personal effects or touches to be found anywhere. This was probably meant to serve as his holding cell while they held him prisoner which both pleased and troubled him. It pleased him because that meant they would release him from his current binds since they were giving him a whole room to have. It troubled him because it meant they planned on having him long term. It didn’t matter though because he had no intention of staying very long. Once he was healed, he’d be out of here in no time. 

He looked to the only door leading in or out of the room which he just knew would be covered with locks on the other side. Although it seemed like just a plain wooden door… he knew he could break it down with ease- after he healed. That didn’t seem very professional… and there was no attached bathroom so someone would have to let him in and out to go which also wasn’t professional… and there was a window not too far from him though with the low angle and the blinds drawn he couldn’t see anything beyond it. He couldn’t make sense of the pieces he was seeing, the people he encountered last night were definitely professionals but his current holdings, while not bad, were not the mark of professional standards- as he’d been led to expect them anyway. Maybe this was a temporary stop and he woke up when he wasn’t supposed to… or maybe he gave them too much credit when calling them professionals before. Maybe pulling out the gag and screaming for help might be worth tearing the stitches after all. If this was a temporary holding spot or if these guys were just being sloppy, maybe there might be other people nearby that could hear him. He was fully aware that he was completely naked under the blanket over his lap but he didn’t care about that, if someone could help him get free his decency was the last of his concerns. 

Before he could think more about that, he heard a door open and then close not far off. He held his breath as footsteps came closer to the door leading to the room he was in. They were soft like the person was light footed but with how hard he was focusing on the sound, the owner might as well have been stomping. He stared at the doorknob as it twisted to allow the door to open smoothly, not a single lock in place. A tall blond man walked in though he stopped mid step as he looked at the brunet as if he were just as surprised to see him there. The man was well put together with his hair slicked back, sunglasses placed over his eyes, and an impassive look on his face. 

“I wasn’t expecting you to wake up for another few hours.” he stated plainly and the bound man’s surprised expression changed to one of hatred. So this blond bastard was the one to capture him and lock him up here? He came fully into the room and shut the door behind him before looking over his captive thoughtfully. Then he stepped closer and tapped the side of the gag. “Scream and this goes back in. Struggle and I’ll knock you out again. Understand?” there was a moment of tense silence between the two before the brunet slowly nodded so the gag was pulled out of his mouth to hang around his neck. He moved his tongue around his mouth to wet the unpleasantly dried spaces and cringed inwardly at the coppery taste he encountered. He did think about screaming now that he knew someone might be able to hear him but with one of his captors currently standing over him he thought better of it. But he only heard his footsteps, no one else’s so if he was the only one- at least the only one here, maybe he could manage to incapacitate him and then call for help. 

“My name is Albert Wesker although I would prefer it if you call me solely by my surname.” the blond stated as he sat down on the floor in front of the bound man which confused him. Instinctually it felt wrong. Why was the man who kidnapped him putting himself on the same level as his captive rather than above? The gesture was one of peace which didn’t feel right for the situation although now that he was close enough to smell him clearly, his scent was familiar and almost calming. His senses wanted to find relief in this stranger but his mind was screaming the opposite. “Will you tell me your name?” Wesker asked when it wasn’t provided after a long pause. The other just continued to stare at him with hardened suspicion, refusing to answer.

After giving him a reasonable amount of time to change his mind and answer, the blond sighed and stood up. He began to unstrap the black tactical vest from his person, taking it off and dropping it onto the bed. He ignored his captive’s presence as he unbuttoned the formal blue shirt he wore with a patch on the shoulder that the bound man could only see part of before the blond stripped it off and placed it with his vest. The word STARS was etched across it with periods between each letter like it was an acronym though he had no idea what it stood for. He instantly committed it to memory however as it was most likely the name of the organization that had kidnapped him. 

Left in his pants and white undershirt, the brunet watched as Wesker put away the clothing he had taken off and grabbed a different set from the dresser near him which served to confuse him even more. He thought this was meant to be his room yet it seemed all of Wesker’s belongings were in it. Again, none of the pieces he had fit together in any way that showed a concise picture. It was like he was trying to put together a puzzle using pieces from different pictures. Maybe there was more to this than he thought… if only he could remember what happened last night. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember when he heard the man’s footsteps heading for the door. 

“Wait!” he called out to stop the man from leaving though he hadn’t meant to, he just… he didn’t want to be alone again. He hated being alone. Wesker watched him as he thought of what he wanted to say, he didn’t want to give the guy his name even though he was sure he already knew it. Only one thing mattered and he glared hard up at the man as he demanded the information he cared about the most. “Where’s Claire?” he tried to force as much strength and authority into his hoarse voice as he could muster but it didn’t seem to move the other man in the slightest. 

“I don’t know who that is.” he answered honestly even though the other had not answered his question. The bound man glared harder at him and was about to yell at him to continue to press for what had been done with her when his head throbbed painfully and he winced before his consciousness was engulfed in black. 

He remembered looking into those sunglasses even though it was so dark out. Of course he could see as well in the dark as he could during the day but he remembered wondering how the blond man could see well enough to be able to react fast enough to avoid him and to work so precisely on his wounds. He remembered being alone, terrified and in pain, and then Wesker was there and he wasn’t alone anymore. He remembered allowing Wesker to help him though he couldn’t remember why or with what but it was enough for now. 

He came to again just as he was before though the gag was still around his neck rather than in his mouth. He groaned at the return of his whole body aches and pains, now with the added bonus of a headache. It wasn’t too often that he passed out from the migraines of memories coming back to him but it happened enough that he didn’t question it. He didn’t get much figured out because sure Wesker had found him in the forest, stitched him up, and brought him here but that was what the bad guys would want, right? They wanted him alive so it didn’t prove anything. But the clearest image he got was the first moment they saw each other and the absolute shock and awe on the other man’s face- it was too genuine. He hadn’t known about him beforehand which meant that he couldn’t possibly be with the people who attacked him… and yet he still helped him rather than run screaming. 

He was alone again but kept calm because he could hear someone else’s movement outside of the room he was in. Chris sniffed at the air and through the open doorway, could smell that lively warmth that was Wesker and though he tried to tell himself it didn’t, it calmed him on an instinctual level to know he was nearby. 

“Wesker?” he called towards the door and a moment later the man’s light footsteps approached until he was standing in the doorway. “Chris. My name is Chris Redfield.” he told the blond man who now studied him with a guarded expression. 

“You’ve had a change of heart.” he stated and Chris understood what he meant. He’s a pretty soft person most of the time, only hardening in the face of danger and he had previously regarded Wesker as a threat and treated him as such. Now though, he knew he was right before when he thought he was working with pieces from a different puzzle. There were multiple pictures being painted here and he realized, and deeply hoped, that the blond was a different picture from the one of the people who attacked his home. When he separated the pieces as such, he was indeed able to escape from the professionals that came for him. He was undoubtedly hurt and later found by Wesker who brought him back to what he was now guessing was the man’s home. That was why it wasn’t a professional prison made just for him. It also made sense why he was locked up as he was. This man stumbles on an unknown and very obviously dangerous creature that probably tried to attack him and then turned into a human. He couldn’t exactly call the cops about it, they wouldn’t have believed him, and maybe he was too kind to just leave him out in the woods by himself which he deeply appreciated. There wasn’t a way to know if Chris would have still been hostile when he woke up so it was only natural to make sure he was restrained just in case and the way he acted earlier didn’t exactly inspire trust. And since this was probably his home, Wesker most likely had neighbors that he didn’t want hearing Chris scream should he have done that because this would all be a  _ very _ hard story to sell to the cops. 

“I was attacked last night and I thought you were with them.” he explained shortly and left it at that since what happened was still unclear in his foggy memories. He mostly always trusted his instincts and though his man had a very strong sense of authority about him, the brunet didn’t feel threatened by him and none of his actions read as dangerous. 

“You don’t remember?” the blond asked with interest and Chris timidly shook his head. His story of being attacked checked out with his wounds and the blood around his mouth and hands that didn’t appear to be his own, it was a reasonable assumption that he had killed one or more of his pursuers. 

“When I…” Chris hesitated, never having been comfortable talking about his… condition with even his family so talking about it with a stranger felt like breaking the biggest rule he’d ever been taught. He reminded himself that the blond already knew but he still couldn’t, the idea of telling anyone about it was just too taboo to force. It didn’t help that he’d never really spoken to anyone outside of his family. He’d had a few small bits of ‘how are you today’ type chats with cashiers and people in the park during the walks he would take when Claire wasn’t home but never more than that. His mouth still felt dry too and talking only made it worse, he needed some water. Wesker had waited for the man to continue but when it was evident that he wasn’t going to, he turned to leave. 

“I’m back in control so I’m not a threat to you anymore, I swear.” Chris called out to stop him from going and it worked, critical eyes roaming over him once more. A long silence remained that made the brunet uncomfortable. “Can I… can I have some water? And some pain medication… if you have any?” the silence continued and he squirmed, his eyes wandering the room rather than look at the man that sized him up. “Please?” Wesker suddenly left the room and panic exploded in the brunet’s mind. “No, no, wait- come back!” he hadn’t realized he had shouted or tried to reach out to the retreating figure until his wrists hurt from tugging so hard at the handcuffs. His breathing became labored as he struggled to keep a lid on his emotions. After everything he’s gone through lately, he didn’t want to be alone! He needed someone near him even if it was this stranger- he was scared! His breath hitched when Wesker returned, coming in to sit in front of him again with a bottle of pills and a glass of water. Right… of course he had to leave the room to get him what he asked for, that made sense. 

“Do you take standard doses?” he asked as he set both containers on the floor between them. From his pocket the blond produced a small key to unlock one wrist and moved the now free cuff to lock around a metal bar lower to the ground. His captive wasn’t completely free but his arms weren’t stuck uncomfortably above him and he could actually move his still trapped arm so it was much better. 

“Double.” he said quickly before grabbing the cup with his newly freed hand and brought it to his lips. The cool water was soothing to his parched throat like a revitalizing medicine to a very sick person. He gulped it all down before sighing in content, only then realizing that Wesker was holding out his hand with the readied pills. Now he wished he had saved some of the water but since his throat was freshly slicked he could take them without water. He accepted the pills as Wesker stood and took both the glass and the pill bottle with him. 

“I’ll bring you more water.” then he left again but Chris didn’t panic, knowing he would be right back and listening to each of his footsteps even when they grew so faint he could hardly make them out. Sure enough he heard the water running in what he assumed was the kitchen for a few moments before it turned off and Wesker’s footsteps made their way back to him. He entered the room and stood closer to his captive than he had dared before as he handed over the refilled glass. Chris thanked him and took the pills with the water before drinking the remaining liquid. “Do you want more?” he asked without judgment. Though he had never experienced all the bones in his body breaking and reshaping, his muscles contorting, and his skin stretching so his entire body could take on a different shape- Wesker was confident in his assumption that it wasn’t pleasant. He had no doubt of the tremendous strain it put on Chris’s body that would most likely last for days. He wondered how often the change happened and what caused it. Was it a willing change? He doubted it since Chris had mentioned being in control now which suggested it had been lost during the change. 

“I’m fine. Thank you.” since he didn’t have to fetch another refill, Wesker sat back down on the floor. There was that silence again but Chris tried not to let it get to him this time. He was all too used to silence, that wasn’t what bothered him, what got to him was the other man’s insistent stare. He wasn’t used to being looked at so closely especially by a stranger, that would have been a very bad thing in his life. He guessed under the circumstances it was understandable for Wesker to be analyzing him, probably trying to figure out what he was and what to do with him. “I won’t hurt you so can you uncuff me now?” he asked as he jangled the chain around his wrist against the metal he was bound to. 

“I don’t trust easily.” the other man told him simply and he nodded in understanding with a sigh. 

“Fair enough.” he rubbed his freed wrist more for something to do than because it still hurt. 

“Who’s Claire?” Wesker asked and the brunet shrank back at the mention of her. He didn’t answer- he couldn’t. Tears swelled in his eyes and he brought his good leg up to his chest to wrap his free arm around. He rested his cheek on his knee and stared at the wall. Realizing he didn’t want to talk anymore, Wesker left the room once more and this time Chris wasn’t sure when he would be back. He listened to the blond’s movement to keep himself calm, telling himself he wasn’t alone because Wesker was still there. 

… … … 

“Chris.” he lifted his heavy head to the sound of Wesker’s strong voice in the entryway and took comfort in not being alone in the room anymore. He was okay as long as he wasn’t completely alone so having the other man in the house with him was enough but having him in the same room was better. “Are you hungry?” without access to a clock he had no idea what time it was but he knew it must be late afternoon at least. It wasn’t yet getting dark but noon had come and gone hours ago without an offer of lunch which suited him fine. The man was probably going to make dinner and needed to know if he was cooking for two. 

“No.” he answered without thought though he cringed. He honestly wasn’t and the mere thought of food made his stomach churn. The last time something like this happened he didn’t eat for two days, he wondered how long it would be this time. He still tasted blood in his mouth… he wanted to brush his teeth more than anything but didn’t feel comfortable asking for such a thing. “But I need to go to the bathroom.” he quickly changed the subject to which the other sighed and fully entered the room, stopping in front of him with the handcuff key. When he just stood there without making a move to uncuff him, Chris was about to ask what was wrong when he spoke. 

“Why haven’t you tried to leave?” his voice was suspicious but his gaze was inquisitive behind the sunglasses covering them. Chris lowered his head sadly and thought of leaving, thought of home. He had conspired to escape when he thought Wesker was an enemy but once he remembered enough to realize he wasn’t… the idea left his mind and hadn’t come back to him. 

“Where would I go?” he asked softly more to himself before his sad eyes rose to meet the other’s. “They know about me, home isn’t safe anymore, and Claire…” he trailed off again to fight back the wetness in his eyes. He didn’t want to think about what might have happened to her. He remembered more from last night but he couldn’t find the girl in the pieces he had back yet. 

“Who is Claire?” Wesker tried again and after a moment, the brunet’s tears did spill over his eyes which held such pain and guilt. 

“My little sister.” he answered this time. Wesker had figured whoever the girl was that they were at least close but for someone with Chris’s secret, surely there hadn’t been many he could have been close to so he assumed family and was right. He wondered if his family was like him or if they were human. “We live together in the city.” he sniffled and wiped at his eyes. “She’s in college now but she’s still just a kid- she didn’t deserve a brother like me.” and he broke down and told Wesker everything he remembered from last night. 

He and Claire were just about to eat dinner, she was telling him about her day and mentioned a motorcycle she really wanted. They even talked about cutting back on some of their nonessential expenses to save up the money so she could buy it. Then something was thrown through the window that spewed a noxious smelling gas that quickly filled the room. Chris tried to get to his sister, to get her outside but both the front and back doors were kicked in and people with guns stormed into their house. There were at least six of them and they all wore solid black tactical gear complete with gas masks, he never saw any sort of identifying markers. There was screaming and they were ordered to get on their knees. Chris’s senses were overstimulated and there was too much going on for him to think clearly. Claire tried to fight them and someone hit her, she fell and Chris felt the first surge of change with the boiling rage that filled him. He started fighting too but was quickly overpowered as two men hauled Claire up and started dragging her away. He was looking right at her as she screamed his name in fear and then he turned and the rest was just emptiness until he woke up handcuffed in here. 

Since waking here he’d recalled running in the open and bright lights swerving away from him before he reached the forest, remembered a loud snap as pain shot through his leg and his desperate attempt to get away from whatever had him, and he remembered meeting Wesker in the forest and how he had helped him. That coupled with the fact that he felt at ease around him made him choose to trust the blond man. He had always been an excellent judge of character, his family had said it was in his nature. They said that about a lot of his instincts and capabilities… but his nature was something to be hidden away because it was dangerous. 

“Most of my memories usually come back to me after a day.” Chris had calmed down by the time he was finished with his story though his voice was raw now. “I don’t know where we are, I don’t think there’s a forest near the city I live in but I don’t think I could have gotten that far with a broken ankle.” as he spoke he leaned his head back against the wall since he couldn’t rub at his temples to lessen the pressure in his head. The medicine had begun to work but it would never take the pain completely away so he was left to deal with the remnants. 

Wesker, who had remained silent as he listened to his captive’s story, rose to his feet and wordlessly made for the door. The brunet succeeded in not calling out to him though a low sound rumbled from his throat that sounded too much like the whimper he had made in his other form. His head lowered though he looked upwards at the other man who peered back at him as if checking on him. The blond’s head tilted slightly and he hummed in thought before he left the room. Chris didn’t like how he kept disappearing, he was very rapidly growing comfortable with his scent and his presence and he wanted it back. But what could he do? When the man returned, Chris didn’t have time to feel relieved as he set a bloody bear trap between them. Chris stared at it in horror, his eyes flicking between it and his wounded ankle as the pieces came together. He could hear that unfamiliar snap in his mind and imagined this device springing to dig its metallic teeth deep into his ankle. He shivered at the thought. So he was right and there wasn’t a forest near where he lived, he would have known. That meant he did manage to escape from his attackers and he managed to run far away, only stopping because this got him. It was probably also the only reason Wesker was able to help him rather than get killed. 

“Did I hurt you?” he asked sheepishly. 

“A small cut on my arm, hardly needed attention.” the blond said as he gestured to his right arm. 

“I’m sorry.” he said but Wesker dismissed the apology. 

“We’re in Racoon City, just over a hundred miles from the city you live in.” he told him but it didn’t ring any bells for him at all and… a hundred miles… he got so far in just a single night- he didn’t know he could do that, then again he’d never been able to try. 

“I’m not a threat to you anymore, I swear it. I’m back in control and now that I know you weren’t the one who actually kidnapped me- well,” he attempted his usual smile as he chuckled. “sort of.” Wesker didn’t smile or show any sign of amusement so Chris cleared his throat, lowering his head in shame again as he continued. “Look I… I fucked up- I think I drew too much attention to myself and they came for me last night. They took her and I remember losing it and the rest is fuzzy. I guess I got away and ran until I was caught by…  _ that _ thing.” he gestured to the bear trap with disgust. 

“You’re sure you don’t remember anything about the people that attacked you? Perhaps a symbol or wording on any of their clothing?” Wesker prompted but the brunet shook his head. 

“No, nothing. I’ve been over every second of what I can remember to try to identify them but there wasn’t anything.” he regretfully explained before silence fell between them as Wesker seemed to think about things. “I’ve been over it a dozen times but I have no idea what happened to Claire after… I don’t know if I…” heat burned behind his eyes once more and his whole body felt like it was made of lead. “I can still taste blood and I don’t know whose it is. What if I… oh god- what if I hurt her?” he couldn’t stop them before they started again so tears rolled down his cheeks at the mere thought of hurting someone he loved again because he couldn’t control himself. Not her- anyone but her! “I don’t know what to do!” he was sobbing now even though he didn’t mean or want to. He covered his face with his hand as he brought his good leg up to his chest. His lungs hurt like every breath he took was burning them yet he continued to suck air down frantically as his head spun with absolute horror. “I don’t know what happened to Claire, I can’t go home, my secret’s out, they’re coming for me, I’m not safe-” his rant was cut short when a hand was placed on his shoulder. His blue eyes met Wesker’s sunglasses though he could feel the man’s gaze on him with intent. 

“You are safe.” he assured him confidently. “You’re safe here and you’re staying here.” there wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his voice or his expression as if this was already something he had decided long ago. “Once you’re able to walk I can take you back to your house and make sure it’s secure. We’ll find your sister whether she’s still there or not.” Chris just stared at him, tears still falling from his eyes, as he processed what he was saying. Whether she was there or not… it wasn’t safe anymore, she would have fled or been taken so if she was still there… she was most likely dead. 

“You have no tact, you know that right?” he laughed through his tears, now trying to wipe them away and calm down. Somehow he felt better, assured and safe. The authority this man commanded carried into his word and Chris knew he would be good for it. He had survived his other form after all so he knew he was skilled though he wasn’t sure if just the two of them would be enough to go up against a bunch of professionals to save his sister. But he was just happy not to be going at this alone. He knew he trusted this man for a reason. 

“Yes, I’ve been told I’m very direct.” he said before Chris heard a soft click and looked to the handcuffs to see that he had been fully freed, not having noticed the blond move to unlock him. “I’ll assist you to the bathroom and then to bed.” Wesker stated as he stood and slipped the handcuffs and their key into his pocket before holding a hand out to him. The brunet smiled up at the blond genuinely now as he took the offered hand. The older man bent to grab him around the back on his uninjured side to help him up. Chris grunted at the pain ricocheting through his body but had enough thought to hold up the blanket covering his naked body. “I apologize for not dressing you but I don’t have any pants that could go over the splint.” 

“It’s fine.” the brunet whimpered, trying to focus on the other man’s voice rather than the pain. He helped the wounded man out of the room, across the living room, and into the bathroom where he left him to wait at the door. He didn’t take long emptying his bladder and Wesker then walked him back into the room and over to the bed where he pulled the covers back before settling him down onto the mattress. Once he was relatively comfortable Wesker drew the blankets over him before he noticed how hard the man was breathing from the effort of all the movement. He wondered if perhaps he didn’t give him enough medication though it would be too late to give him more now. He’d have to keep that in mind for the next dose. “Don’t.” the brunet called pleadingly as his hand shot out to snatch his arm before he could leave his side. “Don’t leave me.” there were tears in his bleary eyes again and the blond could tell he was on the verge of losing consciousness. 

“I’ll be in the other room.” he told the man as he took his arm out of his grasp and walked away. He didn’t understand what had happened to the man to make him so clingy, every time he had made a move to leave Chris always called out to him- even when he thought he was an enemy. It wasn’t hard to imagine the lonely life he must have lived keeping his secret from everyone. Still, Wesker couldn’t shake the feeling that the young man’s fear of solitude had deeper roots than he knew. Even if he was isolated growing up, he could seek out attention as he does or he could have turned into a recluse just as easily. However the level of closeness he seemed to desire and the extreme aversion to being alone told a story of trauma. He wondered at the cause. 

He went about preparing his dinner and ate in silence as he went over the information he had been given. Chris was some kind of mythical creature, he had slipped up so now some serious people were after him, his sister was either dead or imprisoned, and he ran from the threat as he knew Claire to already be gone in one way or another. He then found himself in the expansive Arklay Forest where he was caught by a bear trap, and Wesker happened to be lucky enough to be the one to stumble upon him on an infrequent hike. He saw no reason to believe this was orchestrated and he wasn’t one to believe in coincidences… but he also didn’t know what to make of it all at the present. 

When he returned to the bedroom, Chris was asleep which was good as rest would help him heal. Wesker watched the man in his bed who could turn into such a magnificent creature in wonder. He thought Chris would be more trouble, that he would fight and make a fuss despite his injuries but so far he was impressed by the young man’s rationality. He assessed his situation and acted accordingly. The blond was surprised at the sudden turn in their dynamics however. After Chris seemed to recall some fragments of memory from their first encounter, he seemed to realize he wasn’t the threat he initially took him for and relaxed. He didn’t seem the type to open up as he had, maybe it was the panic over the idea that he possibly killed his sister. Or maybe it was the fact that Wesker was all he had at the present and he was latching on though it still seemed too soon for that. The reason Chris chose to place his trust in him didn’t matter, just that he had. He had been expecting to have to slowly earn his trust before he would be able to uncuff him and trust him not to run away. Wesker himself didn’t quite know why he was so sure the man wouldn’t run away, injuries aside, but he knew he wouldn’t. He would stay here of his own will regardless that they had just met because he had nowhere to go and staying with his blond savior meant he wasn’t alone. That’s what Wesker was counting on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the tension in the air begins to recede. I feel like their relationship progresses pretty fast in this fic but I want to say now that it's intentional. I honestly can only mildly relate to the overly clingy behavior that trauma and isolation can cause because while I want to feel like I'm not alone, I also can't stand to be around anyone and that overthrows loneliness nearly every time. I was shaped to be more cold and suspicious of people but then again there was a lot of violence in my upbringing that kept me even more distant and unwilling to form connections. So without that unwillingness to reach out for help, and the fear of isolation (to be explained later), I feel like that need for someone else's (a safe) presence would be a dominant desire in Chris. And on Wesker's part, he's already lain claim to Chris (for now just out of his scientific curiosity though he's cautious to keep him on his side since he understands how dangerous he is) and nothing is going to stand in his way of keeping him.   
> Have a lovely day.


	3. Chapter 3

Though not properly equipped at home, the former scientist had enough to work with in order to examine the DNA he pulled from the bear trap but not enough to tell exactly what he was looking at. He was able to identify sequences similar to that of canines, being more closely related to a dog’s genes than a wolf’s as he suspected, but different enough he wouldn’t have made the connection had he not been looking for it. Most aspects of human DNA were present but built upon outside of an average human’s range. Everything he saw was more complex than the next and he wanted more than anything to delve into the mystery but he wouldn’t be able to with the subpar equipment he currently had. In his defense he never thought he would be studying the DNA of a never before encountered creature such as Chris, in his own home no less, so he wasn’t prepared at the moment. He would need lab equipment, materials, chemicals, and fresh samples. 

However all that would have to wait, as much as he loathed the thought, but he was a patient man so he could control his excitement. He had to build trust with Chris before he requested anything from him. Even after the brunet had transformed back into a human, he had thought about locking him up somewhere to conduct his experiments. Although with an unidentified creature with proven strength and intelligence, it wouldn’t have been wise to piss him off without knowing the full extent of his capabilities. It was better to have an adversary such as that on your side, a willing and maybe even loyal participant. And Chris was so vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation, he really was making it too easy. All the better for him. 

“I’ll be stepping out for a while.” he spoke up as he entered his bedroom where Chris was still laying down in his bed. He’d been up most of the night studying Chris’s blood, having taken a nap on the couch earlier in the day, and now he had errands to run. The brunet sat up faster than he should have and from the sound he produced, had regretted it. 

“How long will you be gone?” Wesker noted the anxiety that lace his words and the panic that trailed his voice. He went about putting on his belt and loading his gun before holstering it. 

“An hour, perhaps two.” normally he wouldn’t tolerate such pestering and invasive questions but he found that he didn’t mind with Chris. His clingy behavior served a purpose and keeping him calm was in his best interest. 

“Do… do you have to?” the other man questioned and when Wesker looked back at him, he noticed that his blue eyes almost seemed bigger in their pleading. If he ever heard someone use the term ‘puppy eyes’ directed at anyone other than this man, he’d have to educate them. 

“Yes Christopher I-” he stopped short when the brunet flinched. “What is it?” he stood straighter, alerted by his reaction but he didn’t seem to perk up the way he’d seen him do in his other form so he doubted the man had sensed anything dangerous. He himself hadn’t however this man had already proven just how keen his senses were. 

“Am I in trouble?” his voice was small as he asked and the blond blinked at him in confusion. “You called me Christopher.” he explained as if that would make everything click together. He had assumed with certainty that Chris would be short for Christopher, rightly so. 

“Did your parents only use your full name when you were in trouble?” now he felt like he was talking to a child though he supposed having been raised in isolation, he would be missing some social cues that separated the two. 

“Usually, yeah. Are you mad?” 

“No, I’m not angry, you’ve done nothing wrong.” Wesker told him and relaxed from his readied position. “If you’d prefer I not call you that, I won’t.” 

“No, it’s fine. I was just surprised.” the injured man also relaxed though it was short lived as he seemed to remember that his host was leaving. “Can I go with you?” Wesker chuckled at the hopeful question, shocking himself that he found the other’s unreasonable request so endearing. 

“You can’t walk and you have no clothes.” he told him as he sat on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. Usually this was something he did from the couch but he could stay with Chris a little longer. Said brunet pursed his lips and furrowed his brows but didn’t argue, knowing this to be true. “I won’t be long.” he promised. “Is there anything you need while I’m out?” 

“Clothes.” the word was out of his mouth before Wesker had finished asking. The blond looked to him again, wearing a knowing smirk. 

“You still can not leave bed with your ankle in its current state.” he was already planning to pick up some loose shorts for him that would fit over the splint along with all the basic necessities he would need that he didn’t already have extras of. 

“It’ll be fine soon.” he said with such confidence that Wesker almost wanted to check on the injury to be sure it still existed. He’d seen patterns in his DNA that suggested fast healing but it’d only been a day and a half. Not being one to be left speechless, he changed the subject to something that would silence Chris’s resistance. 

“Are you hungry?” having the desired effect, the words made blue eyes widen in shock and horror. He cringed and looked away from Wesker, trying to stop the thoughts and memories that flooded his mind. With his shoes tied and all he needed with him, the blond made to leave when fingers curled around his arm. He gazed down at Chris who wouldn’t meet his eye nor would he retract his hand. 

“Orange juice.” was all he said and Wesker nodded. 

“Is that all?” 

“I wanna brush my teeth.” 

“I have a spare in the bathroom.” he explained before he realized that maybe he shouldn’t have. “Don’t attempt to do it yourself, I will help you when I return.” he ordered and waited for the other to nod in understanding before he gently slid out of his grasp but he didn’t leave yet. Chris wouldn’t look at him now, his eyes wide with panic, face full of shame, and a slight rocking motion beginning. This wasn’t the reaction he’d planned to trigger. He expected Chris to fall silent and cringe from the memory of eating his attackers, the reason from which he didn’t feel hunger currently though he had no idea how long that would last. The last time he had asked, Chris flinched and seemed uncomfortable which usually worked to quiet him. But now he was retreating into himself and for him to make this kind of an association with Wesker wasn’t favorable. He had to fix this. “Chris?” he didn’t answer and the blond wondered if he could even hear him. He couldn’t leave with him like this but he needed to go. He sighed and left the room, slipping into his office to retrieve a readied syringe before returning to the bedroom. 

“Chris?” he tried again, louder this time and the brunet was alerted by the sound of his voice as his eyes found him. He sighed at the sight of tears streaking his cheeks. Chris was deeply disturbed by the fact that he’d eaten people during his change but he had also seemed to know it was just a fact of his life, he didn’t cry over it. Which meant he was thinking of something else that had so far consistently driven him to tears and it was something the older man knew he couldn’t fix. He sat on the bed again, closer to Chris now than he had been before. “We’ll go as soon as you can walk.” the blond reassured him and he slowly nodded but said nothing about it. “Would you feel more at ease if I sedate you while I’m away?” he asked as he held up the needled syringe. The brunet eyed it for a moment before something incredibly sad and familiar filled his eyes. He nodded and offered his arm so Wesker administered the sedative. The blond moved slightly so Chris could lay down as it took effect much better than it had in his other form. 

“Do you think she’s home?” the man’s ruff voice was groggy and his eyes were already slipping closed as consciousness began to leave him. 

“For your sake,” hesitantly Wekser reached out and placed a hand on the other man’s head. “I sincerely hope she’s not.” 

… … … 

Chris woke up feeling heavy and still aching with pain everywhere. His surroundings were still hazy from the effects of the drug and it only served to make him nervous, that and one other very important detail. 

_ It was too silent. _

“Wesker?” he called to the doorway and waited but he never showed up. 

_ He was alone. _

“Wesker?” he called louder but again there was no response. He wished he could get up but he couldn’t walk. 

_ He was trapped. _

“Wesker!” he shouted desperately, forcing himself to sit up now despite the pain. He stared out into the hallway, his blue eyes scanning every inch of visible space for the man and his ears strained to hear his footsteps but they never came. 

_ He was all alone. _

“No, no, please.” he whimpered as he curled in on himself though the pain in his ankle was enough to keep that leg down. 

_ No one was coming for him. _

“I don’t wanna be alone.” he cried as his arms wrapped around his head and he rocked back and forth slightly. 

_ They were all dead. _

“Claire.” he wished for nothing more than to be with her right now… even if she was still at the house. 

_ He killed them all. _

“I’m sorry.” the words became a chant spilling over his lips as he withered under the pressure of memories blending with his worst fears. 

_ He was a monster. _

He couldn’t breathe, his chest failed to inhale any more air even as his lungs burned. He felt the subtle changes occurring in his eyes and ears, a grinding sound reverberated in his head as things shifted. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. He didn’t want to be alone anymore! He hated this whole damn unfair world! He felt his jaw shift slightly as his teeth grew longer and sharper and his claws were beginning to dig painfully into his scalp as they grew from the tips of his fingers. 

A sudden touch on top of his head made him jolt. His head shot up to take in the sight of Wesker leaning over to examine him, their faces closer than he was comfortable with. He wasn’t used to anyone being so close to him- he wasn’t used to anyone being near him at all! He hadn’t heard him come back, probably because of the changes still snapping in his body and echoing in his ears. He saw the blond’s lips move but the sound was lost in the vibrations bouncing in his skull. Aware of how he must look, he lowered his head again and kept his hands to his head as he willed it to clear. The hand on his head moved to his chin to tilt it back up. Wesker shouldn’t put his hand so close to his mouth, that was dangerous though he didn’t seem afraid. He hesitantly looked up to the man who had already done so much for him and as he watched his lips slowly form the words ‘calm down’ he felt like he could breathe again. But they were coming too quick and he felt lightheaded. 

Wesker sat on the edge of the bed to the brunet’s side, once again moving his hand to rest flat on his chest. He applied pressure until Chris was forced to exhale then he let up to allow an inhale before repeating the process. It didn’t take long for Chris to follow his rhythm, inhaling when there was no pressure and exhaling when the hand on his chest pressed softly into him now as nothing more than a cue. It took longer for him to be able to meet and keep the pace Wesker was guiding him into but he eventually got there. And… as foreign as the touches were to him, he was sad when Wesker’s hand left him. The blond had watched the changes with interest but now that his guest was back to human, he’d done enough to help. 

“Chris?” he called to test whether or not the man could hear or comprehend his voice now. Stunning blue eyes opened to look at him tiredly. 

“You’re here.” he whispered almost like he didn’t believe it. 

“It is my apartment.” he agreed with a short nod and Chris cracked a half smile. “I didn’t expect you’d wake up so soon, I was only gone little more than an hour.” he hypothesized that his quickened metabolism might also work to break down the medication faster which was inconvenient since that wasn’t something he could fix by simply giving him a higher concentration. The sedative worked to knock him out but it left his system too quickly, he’d have to tamper with it later to see if he could get the effects to last longer. “Are you alright now?” Chris nodded before sliding down to rest his head on the pillow once more. He watched the blond walk to the dresser where there sat a bag that hadn’t been there before and pulled a few pairs of loose shorts out of it, leaving them on top of the dresser. “These are for you. If you feel well enough to dress now, I can assist you.” Chris just stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. He grabbed the top pair and walked back to the side of the bed before pulling back the blanket to fully reveal the naked man in his bed. He unfolded the shorts and carefully lifted Chris’s splinted leg by the calf with one hand while the other slipped the shorts over the bulk. Chris was able to get his good leg through the fabric himself but since he couldn’t bend over, Wesker slid the fabric up his legs but had to stop at the top of his thighs when he couldn’t get them higher. He offered his shoulder to the brunet who gratefully accepted, using his body as a support to lift his hips. He gasped at the pain in his side but the blond was quick getting the shorts over his hips so he could drop back to the mattress. 

“Thank you.” the young man muttered before sticking his hand into the shorts to adjust himself. Wesker waited for him to get comfortable and the signs of pain to fade from his face. “My panic attacks aren’t usually this bad… I think it’s gotten worse with Claire missing. Usually I can go for walks or something, moving helps, but right now I’m trapped because of my fucking leg.” he growled inhumanly but it didn’t frighten Wesker. After he got over his initial shock of the creature’s existence, he accepted it and trusted himself to adequately deal with him whether he was a threat or not. Though he was very confident that he wasn’t, at least not in this form. 

“You aren’t alone here.” the blond assured him. “Although I will have to return to work tomorrow.” Chris looked saddened by this, then his eyes flicked up to the man’s gear on the dresser where it waited to be equipped. Tactical vest, utility belt, handcuffs, radio, first aid kit, combat knife, gun, extra clips. He’d wondered before what Wesker did for work and from some of the gear he almost guessed he was a cop but all of that seemed too military for a cop. And assuming what he was wearing yesterday were work clothes, it wasn’t a police uniform, at least not like he’d ever seen in movies. 

“Where do you work anyway?” he finally asked. 

“I’m the captain of a special forces unit at the Racoon Police Department.” as he explained, Chris’s eyes grew wide in awe and yearning. 

“STARS?” he asked, recalling the patch on the man’s shirt sleeve. 

“Yes. Special Tactics and Rescue Service.” Wesker easily replied, sitting once more on the edge of the bed. “It’s formed mostly of military veterans, myself included.” 

“And you’re the captain?” Chris asked in awe, impressed with every word spoken. 

“Of Alpha team, yes. Another leads Bravo team and we tend to stay out of each other’s way though I have seniority.” 

“What did you do in the military?” 

“I was in the Army for five years before taking the position in STARS. It was only due to my years of training and strategy that I was able to handle you so well the other night.” Chris nodded and smiled to himself, glad to be in the hands of someone so capable. 

“I always wanted to join the Air Force.” the brunet admitted sheepishly like it was a bad thing to say and Wesker had no doubt that the idea had been harshly turned down every time he mentioned it. 

“That’s a noble aspiration to have.” was all Wesker said on the matter, sure that his family had already drilled into his head how impossible that would be for him so he didn’t need to hear it from his host as well. 

“What’s it like being in law enforcement?” Chris asked with all the excitement of a toddler at Christmas and it made the blond snicker. 

“We can talk about it another time. For now, would you like to brush your teeth?” 

“Please. And I still reek of blood, anything to be done about that?” he asked hopefully. The blond hadn’t been at all surprised to learn that Chris had eaten people, he had cleaned what he could out of the man’s mouth and off his body when he brought him back. Between the blood in and around his mouth that seeped down his chest that wasn’t his own, the blood on his hands and arms that also wasn’t his own, the wound in his side, and the wound from the beat trap, the man had been covered in crimson and was rather difficult to clean. The blond thought he had done a good enough job in fully sanitizing him but evidently not. He couldn’t smell the blood anymore although perhaps it was reasonable to assume Chris had sharper senses than those of humans. He had thought as much before and this further proved it. 

“You won’t be able to bathe yourself for some time but I can arrange a sponge bath if you’d like.” he replied and the brunet shrugged one shoulder. 

“Maybe later, I can live with it for now.” he said that but he grimaced slightly to himself. “Besides I just got dressed.” Wesker nodded before leaving the room and the other was fine with him going, knowing he was staying in the apartment and coming right back. He did come right back, carrying a bowl and a toothbrush with toothpaste already on it. He set the bowl in the brunet’s lap and handed him the toothbrush before leaving to refill the cup of water Chris used to take his pills. Chris eagerly began brushing his teeth, being sure to scrub every inch of his mouth he could reach without gagging. Wesker had returned and was silently watching him which he thought was a little awkward but he tried not to think about it since he would rather have him there than not so he wouldn’t complain. When he was done, Chris spat into the bowl and rinsed his mouth with the provided water, trying not to notice the pink tint his spit had taken from the blood that had still been in the back of his mouth. He ran his tongue over then behind his teeth before sliding it to the roof of his mouth and into the insides of his cheeks. He couldn’t detect any more blood in his mouth physically but the taste still lingered unpleasantly. “Orange juice?” he asked Wesker as he handed back the toothbrush and the bowl. Taking the items, the blond left again to clean them up before returning with another cup filled with orange liquid. He drank some, slushed it around his mouth, and drank the rest. It was unpleasant since he had just barely brushed his teeth but that was exactly the point, to fill his mouth with the taste of anything but the blood. All he could taste now was the odd combination of toothpaste and orange juice which made him feel infinitely better. “Thank you.” his smile now was brighter than it had been, the most genuine one he’d given yet. 

“Is there any cologne you usually use that might help distract from the smell until you can bathe?” the blond asked, ignoring the younger man’s gratitude. 

“I don’t have a preference and what you have on smells nice so that’ll do.” he’d noticed the man’s smell right away of course, not just his cologne but his actual scent under it and later recognized it from the night they met which associated his scent with the kindness of his help. That had since developed into comfort with how much more the man was helping him and if he was honest, smelling Wesker on his pillows helped him to not be afraid of sleep last night. “If you’re okay with me using it.” he added quickly, realizing how much he was assuming but he figured if he was willing to buy him his own then he would be fine with sharing. Wesker only nodded and that brought up the same question that had been nagging at him for some time. He’d been feeling a little embarrassed for acting so clingy to a total stranger but it was hard not to in this situation. This stranger had learned his deepest, darkest secret and not been afraid of him. Instead he risked his life to help him, took him in, was waiting on him during his recovery, and was willing to help him find his sister. This stranger was already closer to him than anyone else in his life aside from his family- not that he actually knew anyone outside of his family but still, considering anyone close was a big deal for him. He didn’t know why Wesker had done all of this for him and he didn’t want to question such kindness but it’d been weighing on him. “Are you helping me because you’re a cop?” he finally asked. 

“No, I have a personal interest in you.” Chris tilted his head at him at that. 

“A personal interest? What’s that mean?” 

“I used to work as a top researcher for a major pharmaceutical corporation. So as a scientist, I’m very curious about you.” learning this, the brunet couldn’t help the small feeling of doubt creeping on him. He trusted Wesker but his dad had taught him to always be wary of such people. Taking notice of his sudden tension, Wesker waved a hand dismissively. “If I was planning anything nefarious for you, I wouldn’t be telling you of my intentions nor would you be kept in any sort of comfort.” that declaration didn’t do much to quell Chris’s unease. 

“What are your intentions then?” the brunet asked carefully, still eyeing the man. 

“I would like for you to allow me to test different variables in your change and various aspects of your other form.” 

“Tests? Tests like what?” 

“Nothing too invasive, I assure you. I would like to fully understand what you are- why you change into that other form, what triggers it, your limits between forms, and if you can control it. I’ll also be conducting tests and mild experiments with your DNA but you won’t be needed for that aside from providing a sample.” Wesker explained like it was the most casual thing in the world. The other thought about this for a long time. The paranoia his dad instilled in him told him to run, the hope his mom and sister gifted him told him to take a chance, and his natural born instincts told him to trust Wesker. 

“You won’t do anything bad with it?” he asked, more timid than he liked and Wesker seemed to think about that for a moment which was a bad sign. 

“Simply saying ‘bad’ is much too vague, there are too many variables to consider to put such a black and white label on this type of situation.” the answer wasn’t exactly evasive and held plenty of truth. “But I will be honest and keep you up to date with what I’m doing so you can decide for yourself where it falls on the good or bad scale.” he wasn’t sure why he was offering such a thing or why he even meant it but he did. 

“Is this in return for helping me find Claire?” 

“No, I already said we would find her and we will whether you allow the tests or not.” the older man stated, not seeming to have taken offense. Chris took a deep breath and sided with his instincts with a solemn nod. 

“I wanna know what I am too. If you can help me learn how to control myself, I’m on board.” he stated softly and Wesker grinned with a short nod of approval. Chris mentally apologized to his father as he desperately wished him to be wrong about the world and people outside of their house even if he’d been proven right more than once now. This time had to be different- it had to be! He was really due for a win right now and he really needed an ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been keeping such a steady flow of this coming that I forget where I am with posting since I'm so far ahead. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself and post all at once so if I say anything in the comments that hasn't actually been revealed yet or something... just pretend you didn't hear it. To me, this area still seems rushed and sloppy but I can't help it, I wanna get to the good stuff. Soo, yeah, not much of a talker tonight so I'll just see you guys in the next chapter which I'll probably wait a few days to post. Later!


	4. Chapter 4

Those puppy eyes set on him again so he tried not to look at Chris- not that he would be affected by the sight but it helped to show that he wasn’t going to be swayed. He’d made a light breakfast, helped his guest to the bathroom, gotten dressed, and was getting all his equipment ready. Chris watched him every moment he was within view and though it perhaps should have been unsettling, he found it to be more pitiful. 

“I’ve left you a sedative in the nightstand should you feel the need to use it.” Wesker stated as he clipped on the last of his gear. 

“Can’t you stay?” the brunet pleaded for at least the fifth time that morning. 

“No, I can not.” he patiently answered yet again. “I already took a day off because of you, I won’t take another.” Chris shrank back against the headboard behind him but the wilted look didn’t leave his face. Wesker looked him over and sighed before pulling his flip phone out of his pocket and handing it over to the younger man. “This is my personal cell phone- do not answer any incoming calls and only call me if there’s an actual emergency. Are we clear?” he spoke strictly, not allowing the brunet to take the device until he had nodded vigorously. He held the black and silver phone like it was some mystical prize he’d been given. “I am not leaving this here to tempt you to bother me. I’m leaving it simply as a means for you to contact me in the event that something happens or you find you’re unable to control yourself.” Wesker continued. “And do try to control yourself.” 

“I will. Promise.” though Chris smiled, it was forced through his nervousness. “Uh, which contact do I call to reach you?” 

“Work. You’ll get the RPD operator and you’ll need my extension number to… nevermind.” he muttered the end of his sentence to himself as he took the phone back, flipped it open to push a few buttons before closing it and handing it back. “Call ‘Office’ it’s the direct number to my personal office’s landline.” he didn’t know what he was thinking leaving his phone with Chris, he wasn’t sure of the limits of his curiosity and the last thing he needed was for him to go through it. He was sure there wasn’t anything too sensitive on it that needed to be hidden but there was always the possibility of him answering a call he really shouldn’t for a lot of reasons. It could be someone from Umbrella even though calls from them weren’t as likely these days. It could be someone from the RPD calling in a case though he was sure they would try his office first during the workday. God forbid it to be a personal call, not that he got those but for the rare occasion, he would have some explaining to do and he would rather not. The apartment had a landline but as it was Chris wouldn’t be able to get to it and if he was in a state to need it, he may not be fit to make out a written phone number. And moving it would be too much of a chore as well as eat up too much time and he refused to be late. 

“Thank you but I’m sure I’ll be fine.” the brunet said meekly with another forced smile as he put the bulky cell phone onto the nightstand. “I’ve been alone most of my life, I know how to cope.” deciding not to break down his self confidence, Wesker said nothing. Chris himself had stated how his anxiety disorder had never been so bad. Whatever ‘alone’ he was accustomed to, he was dealing with something on another level now that he was without his family who had been his entire world. Wesker strived to break those chains and get him climatized to the real world and he himself would be the one to usher him into it as his new lifeline. Maybe then he might even have more uses than just as a lab project. But now he was getting ahead of himself. 

“I normally stay late but I’ll make an attempt to leave the station as scheduled.” he stated as he headed for the door, causing Chris’s heart to leap. 

“O-okay… see you.” the brunet whispered as he watched Wesker go. He left the bedroom, disappeared from view, the front door opened and closed, the lock rotated with an audible click, and he was gone. All was silent and he was alone. He looked at the phone Wesker had left him and took a deep breath. He wouldn’t call. He wouldn’t. He would prove that he could do just fine on his own. And that started with his breathing then moved into his own imagination for entertainment. He would be fine. He imagined he worked with Wesker in that special team of his… and he was happy in the impossible fantasy. 

… … … 

STARS Alpha team had been surprised the other day when their punctual and always professional captain had taken a day off. They had all been shocked when he was the last one to work rather than the first but the declaration that an emergency had come up so he would be completing his work from home that day was even more of one. He made sure there wasn’t a case that needed their attention, assigned everyone tasks for the day, grabbed some paperwork, and told them to call him right away if anything happened. He was gone just as quickly as he had come without allowing anyone to question him. It had been the hot topic of discussion ever since because Wesker never had emergencies and he certainly never missed a day of work- not once in the whole two years that STARS had been operational. They were all worried about what could have happened that made even him rush out the way he did. 

“Everything okay with your emergency Wesker?” Barry, the team’s weapons specialist, called to him mere moments of his arrival. “If you need to take another day, we can handle things here.” he felt the team’s eyes on him, everyone waiting for the answer and unsettled by his pause. 

“That won’t be necessary.” he told them with an affirming nod that all was well. 

“Admit it, you just can’t stay away, can you Captain?” Brad, their pilot, called jokingly. 

“Course he can’t, dude’s a workaholic.” Joseph, their technician, added with a laugh. 

“Well someone has to carry your weight when you guys slack off.” Jill, their B&E specialist, quipped back at them and the man with the red bandana around his head feigned offense. 

“Whatever he’s dealing with, it’s none of our business.” at the words, all eyes in the office- including Wesker’s, rolled. The team’s newest member, Eric, was the suck up wannabe teacher’s pet type and in the months since his hire he’d annoyed everyone with his ‘chipper and by the book’ nature. And no one was more irritated with his obvious defensiveness of Wesker than the blond himself. He’d had several conversations with their current pointman about his brownnosing, explaining that he wasn’t going to move up at all that way and all it was doing was hurting his reputation among the team. He claimed the rest of the team was loud and unprofessional and he was simply trying to get them to be more respectful. Wesker agreed with this which he knew was exactly why Eric had said it and he wasn’t one to be manipulated. The team functioned extremely well just as they were so he didn’t mind the level of comfort they had settled into so long as work still got done and it always did. So really Eric was the one throwing a wrench into that easy flow, to an extent that even Wesker felt it. He’d thought about firing the man but didn’t have a legitimate reason to do so and he wouldn’t stoop to the level of firing him simply because he disliked him. 

While everyone in STARS found their place and remained from the beginning, Eric was their third pointman. The first left because he, after Jill was recruited, took issue with being considered equals on the field with a woman. He was the type to believe women had their places at home so after months of Wesker refusing to send their very skilled bomb disposal and lockpick expert home simply because she’s a woman, and after having his own job threatened if he didn’t drop the matter, he quit. No one missed him. The second, while very good at his job, let his emotions get the better of him in too many cases and started to crumble psychologically under the stress of the job. Everyone was saddened to see him go. And now they had Eric the ambitious brownnoser to deal with and no one liked him very much. He was good in his set position but he always wanted more and he didn’t care what he had to do to get it. Usually he didn’t cause trouble for Wesker, there was only once that he did. Taking a matter over his head directly to Chief Irons, who then questioned Wesker. Unfortunately for Eric, Umbrella and therefore Wesker controlled the greedy man so nothing came of it. Their captain had been sure to bring down a hammer after that, very dangerously threatening to not only fire him but implied that he would never get work anywhere ever again if he ever tried something like that in the future. The message got through loud and clear. Even if he did try again, Irons had been… advised not to take heed of anything he said. 

Wesker ignored any further comments as he stepped into his office, closing the door behind himself. He switched on his computer and while he waited for it to wake up, he busied himself by organizing the documents he had completed at home. Once his desktop pulled up he sat in his chair and pulled himself closer. He opened the police database and searched for Chris’s name paired with the city he said he lived in with his sister. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting to find, if anything, but it was easy… his family and he himself had made the news many years ago. He didn’t like what he found and he found a lot. 

Next he searched the city’s news for any sign of the attack on the Redfield residence but there wasn’t anything yet. It was still too early for the media to have covered it- if there was going to be a story on it at all. The house was far enough that no one would have heard any gunshots to report and since the family would have never allowed anyone near Chris’s only safe place, no one would be dropping by to find the battleground. It would take the college weeks if not months to report Claire as missing and for police to be sent over to her house. So the only risky part of taking Chris back there was whether or not the ones that attacked him were still watching the place. He’d have to check a wide perimeter first to be sure it was safe before bringing Chris into the picture. 

He spent far too much time reading old new articles and stringing together stories that may or may not be connected but he was seeing a pattern he couldn’t dismiss. He printed out a document he wanted to give to his guest to gauge his reaction to it just to be sure of his understanding of what he had learned. He would admit that a lot of what he just read and pieced together was just theory at this point but as a man who didn’t believe in coincidences, it all made perfect sense. 

He would stay late to finish the work he was now falling behind on but he wanted to get back to confront Chris with his findings as soon as possible. So he’d have to take work home with him again which would then cut into his time to further analyze Chris’s blood but so be it, he would have all day tomorrow for that. Or he would but he had to wait for his newly purchased equipment to be shipped to him. He was a patient man, he could wait, but damn if he didn’t want to. 

… … … 

When he entered the bedroom, it was to an overly excited Chris. He was sitting up in bed with his head held high and a wide grin on his face. 

“Welcome home. Did you have a good day? Did you shoot any bad guys?” the brunet asked energetically as Wesker began to take off his work gear. 

“You’re acting like a child.” Wesker chuckled, taking amusement in the way the younger man deflated into a defiant pout. “Were you lonely without me?” he teased and Chris crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head to the side. 

“Not one bit. In fact, you’re back too soon.” he responded petulantly which widened Wesker’s smirk. Blue eyes found the alarm clock and noted that he was indeed early. “Did you miss me?” he asked with a playful smirk of his own. Wesker made eye contact and to throw the other off, broke their banter to respond seriously. 

“As a matter of fact, I did.” as intended, the statement threw Chris for a loop. His eyes widened and he was speechless. “Did you use the sedative?” he asked even as he checked its resting place to find the syringe empty. 

“Yeah… a couple hours after you left I started hyperventilating and couldn’t stop so I used it. Waking up alone made it worse but I managed to keep myself calm enough until I heard you coming in.” the younger man explained with some shame and the blond nodded in acknowledgment. 

“Let’s have a look at your injuries.” without waiting for the other to process the subject change, he pulled back part of the blanket and sat at his side to unwrap the bandages from the brunet’s midsection. Chris helped as much as he could by lifting his arms when needed and trying to keep whatever pain he felt to himself. Once the last gauze patch was removed, Wesker’s eyes narrowed and his eyebrows knit closer in confusion. The slash wound hadn’t gotten any better, in fact it seemed a little infected despite the thorough treatment it received. The stitches held the split closed but the flesh showed no signs of closing on its own though it thankfully wasn’t still trying to bleed. He was baffled how it could still be in a state like this when he knew the man to have enhanced healing- even a human body would have begun to mend the wound by now. Had he been mistaken with his poor equipment? No, impossible, he knew what he saw. 

“See? I told you it’d be fine soon.” Chris stated smugly and the blond looked at him sharply with irritation. 

“It’s not getting better.” he snapped, his voice holding mild accusation as if he’d been lied to. “I’d dare say it’s gotten worse.” 

“Maybe that has but…” Chris pushed the blankets aside completely so he could carefully swing his legs over the edge of the bed, forcing Wesker to stand and take a step back to give him room. He slowly put a little weight onto both feet and shakily stood up, having to reach out to use the other man’s shoulder as support. Wesker stared down at the younger man’s leg, wondering how the hell he was able to be doing this with his shattered ankle. He wasn’t able to stand on his own and he was still clearly in pain, his breath labored with the effort this simple action cost him. That didn’t stop the smug expression he wore however as if he enjoyed showing off like this. 

Wesker gently pushed him back down onto the bed before kneeling to begin unraveling the brunet’s makeshift cast. Chris muffled a cry at his jarring haste so he reminded himself to remain calm and be more careful. Once the tanned leg was freed, his shaded eyes fell on an injury much less severe than it had been when he first tended to it. Whatever damage the foot had received was now nonexistent and while the skin was slightly discolored, only irritated scars showed to tell of where the teeth of the bear trap had caught him. Though the outside appeared repaired, he knew the discoloration was due to the still broken bones though they certainly weren’t shattered anymore. The healing that would have taken a human weeks to achieve was done in just three days. What an amazing feat. He needed to know more. 

“You can focus your healing?” was his first question, deciding that Chris had chosen to double down on healing his ankle at the expense of his side wound. 

“Not consciously- ow!” he cried out in pain when Wesker subtly turned his foot in one direction to test the limits of movement. “Claire thinks it has something to do with my will. What I really want right now is to- fuck- okay, enough!” the brunet shouted when the other continued to test his healing joint. “I know I was showing off but it still really hurts!” he sighed in relief when Wesker finally left it alone and stood back up, walking out of the room for a moment to come back with some more medical stuff. 

“Should I even bother getting you a brace or crutches?” the older man asked as he motioned for Chris to lay down so he did. 

“No, I’ll just stay put another day or two and it should be all healed up.” he explained and the blond nodded as he got to work tending to his broken ankle. 

“You were saying?” Wesker questioned to get them back on track. 

“Right. Well since I really wanna be able to walk again to go home, my body responds to that by focusing on healing what’s preventing me from doing that. We can go while I still have stitches and since it’s not life threatening, it can wait.” 

“Interesting.” the blond muttered before finishing what he was doing in silence. He moved higher to work on disinfecting and bandaging the stitched wound. “Have you always healed this quickly?” 

“Yeah but we didn’t know it until I was eleven and broke my arm falling out of a tree.” he smiled at the memory. “I was the only one not freaking out about it though in hindsight I guess there was more to my parent’s panic than just my arm.” 

“They probably wanted to take you to a hospital but couldn’t.” Wesker agreed and the younger nodded. 

“In the end my dad ended up setting the bone and splinting it. They were surprised when it only took a few days to heal completely and they had to explain to me that wasn’t normal.” 

“I imagine you were told that a lot.” 

“Yeah.” he confirmed sadly. Wesker stood straight when he was finished wrapping the gauze around the brunet’s torso. 

“I find you to be extraordinary.” he stated simply and watched as Chris hid a shy smile by turning his head in the opposite direction. While he was thinking of Chris’s interesting reactions, there was one he was still waiting to see. “Well now that’s taken care of, there’s something I want to give to you.” he stepped out of the room again before returning a moment later with a piece of paper. He feigned a coldness in his expression and posture that he didn’t feel but wanted it to have an effect on the other and it did, causing him to tense up. Then he rotated the page to face Chris as he dropped it onto his lap. He watched with intrigue as his face paled when he read what was on display for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's hard for me to believe that 3,000-4,000 words used to be my chapter range when that's now kinda my minimum and my range now is 5,000-7,000 words. So far it seems that all of these chapters have hit around 3,000 words and it seems so short to me now. But I get it, I'm kinda dragging through these first few chapters since they're not very exciting. Don't worry, working on that. I really hope I got a laugh out of you at the "what I really want right now is to- fuck" because that wasn't originally the line but I saw the opportunity and took it and it makes me laugh every time I read it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chris felt sick as he looked down at the paper on his lap for a very long time, wishing it didn’t exist but there it was. Thinking of how he learned the truth… all the memories came back to him and he started to breathe heavier. 

“Where did you get this?” he tried to demand it with a strong and indifferent voice but his anxiety wouldn’t allow anything more than a nervous mutter to leave him. His blue eyes were glued to the page, memorizing every inch of it. He knew… but he’d never seen it for himself. 

“A simple search with the right parameters makes you easy to find. Would you like to know what I learned?” Chris didn’t answer though he glared at the paper now like it was hurting him in some way. “Your parents bought a home on the outskirts of your city roughly five months after you were born and six years later they had your sister, Claire Redfield. At the age of fifteen she was emancipated from the state’s custody after your parents disappeared.” Chris’s jaw clenched and he glared harder now though there were tears in his eyes. Wesker again made a mental note of his reaction to that topic, knowing there was more to that story. “Now nineteen Claire is indeed enrolled as a student at the local college as you said. However rather than live in the dorms, she’s listed as the current owner of your parent’s house where she lives alone.” the brunet finally turned his head away from both his host and the hated paper resting on his lap. “Poor girl never had the chance to meet her older brother because Christopher Redfield died when he was just three months old, officially labeled as a SIDS case.” he finished as he pointed to the paper he gave to his guest, the paper that was his very own death certificate. 

“Where did you get it?” Chris asked again as he made and held eye contact with the blond. This time his voice sounded more like he wanted it to- strong and determined though he needed to keep a check on the anger lacing through every syllable. 

“I’m a high ranking law enforcement officer Chris, I have access to our entire police database.” Wesker explained, knowing that he wouldn’t get any further with his questioning until that was out of the way. “And news articles proved useful as well.” he added with a light shrug before folding his arms. He watched Chris take a breath and look away from him again, a little more at ease at the reasonable explanation. 

“It’s a long story.” Chris sighed before his eyes widened and his head shot back to the other man as if something just occurred to him. “I am who I say I am, this was faked.” he exclaimed with a disgusted gesture to his death certificate though he wouldn’t look at it again. He racked his brain for a way to explain the part that needed it without revealing anything he didn’t want to talk about. Wesker smirked in amusement at the brunet as he struggled for a way to rationalize this to him. Being a cop faced with someone who’s supposed to be dead wasn’t a good situation for Chris to be in right now. However. 

“If you were just a man, I would be suspicious of you.” Wesker told him as he relaxed his purposefully intimidating stance and sat on the edge of the bed. He never believed that Chris was lying about his identity, he just wanted to get a good read on his reaction so he played the part. “But considering that you’re not entirely human, it’s a reasonable assumption that your parents had faked your death to keep you hidden. It was very wise of them to do so, your secret would have been impossible to hide while you were growing up.” after discovering what their son was, they must have known the world would be a cruel place for him and faked his death as an infant. If no one knew of his existence, no one would discover the secret of what he was and no one would come for him. However by saving him from one possible tragedy they condemned him to another, a life of isolation and lies. Wesker wondered how they handled his transformations as he was growing up. Their house was out of the way but it was still in city limits and Chris was right, there wasn’t a forest or anywhere to take him. The only other rational explanation was that they locked him up somewhere in the house. He wondered again at the extent of control the man had over the change or how often it may occur. It also told him a little more of the trauma leading to his fear of being alone. 

Chris pushed his death certificate off of his lap, letting it float to the floor and out of his sight before he took a huge breath of air as if it had cleared of the poison the page had been dosing him with. Wesker opened his mouth to ask some of the questions he’d been compiling a list of when the other spoke first. 

“I wanna go for a walk.” the brunet demanded with a stern tone and expression, leaving no room for argument. He opened his mouth to do so anyway since it wasn’t wise for him to be out of bed until he was completely healed but stopped himself. Chris’s eyes had narrowed dangerously, the pupils slit and the color flared vibrantly. No room for argument. 

“I’ll help you to the couch but that’s as far as you’re going.” Chris didn’t react to either agree or disagree but the blond still held a hand out for him. The injured man took it to stand then slung his arm over Wesker’s shoulder to use him as a crutch to limp out of the room and to the couch. The blond lowered him carefully onto the cushioned seat so he didn’t worsen the injury in his side. He had plenty of other questions about Chris’s life and theories he needed confirmation on but the look in the younger man’s eyes between anguish and anger told him it was best to save all that for another time. “Do you need anything?” he asked simply to be helpful which wasn’t usually like him. 

“Orange juice.” Chris answered, seeming more on the anguished side now as the anger began to leave him. He left to get him a cup of what he was beginning to suspect was the brunet’s favorite drink. When he got back the younger man had turned on the television he never really used and was flipping through channels. “Your cable sucks.” he stated with half of a smirk. 

“I don’t have cable.” 

“I know, that’s why it sucks.” he chuckled now before finally settling on some show the blond had never seen before which wasn’t really saying anything since he never actually watched any shows. 

“You don’t seem the type to sit around watching television all day.” Wesker commented as he sat with him on the couch though he watched him more than the screen. 

“Depends on what’s on and what else I was doing.” Chris shrugged one shoulder lazily. “I’m something of a jack of all trades. I had plenty of time to dabble in lots of things and I helped around the house as much as I could. I watched TV, read books, did my homeschooling with my mom, played guitar, sang poorly, cooked, cleaned, fixed things, whatever I could do to pass the time or be useful. I built things sometimes but I never got as into that as my dad wanted me to.” he explained with a sigh. 

“Did you struggle with feeling useful?” 

“A lot, yeah.” he nodded solemnly. “When the family struggled financially I wanted to get a job to help out since I was old enough but my parents were so strictly against it I could barely argue.” 

“What kind of job did you want?” 

“Most of what I know about society was through my family and TV and there’s always propaganda about the military and fighting for your country. I wanted so badly to enlist and be useful not only for my family but for my entire country. Eventually I told my parents I was an adult so they couldn’t stop me and…” he trailed off, an expression of pain and guilt on his face. 

“You fought?” Wesker supplied and the other just nodded. 

“I don’t wanna talk about this anymore.” he snapped without malice as he returned his attention fully to the TV though the older man could tell he wasn’t really watching it. He gave him a few minutes to calm down a little before continuing. 

“Why the Air Force?” he asked and Chris sighed heavily as a strange look crossed his face. It was an odd blend of happiness and fear. 

“I wanted to fly.” he said with a smile before his expression hardened into one of seriousness. “I’ve only ever told Claire about this because she at least sorta supports what I am so I’ll tell you for the same reason.” he opened his mouth to continue when Wesker interjected. 

“I completely support what you are, from the skin you wear down to the smallest genetic cell inside of you.” he said it so cooly because he meant it. He was so taken with everything involving Chris, everything about him was fascinating and he craved so much more information. The younger man almost blushed and stumbled over his words for a moment before he had to stop himself completely and try again. Wesker found this amusing… maybe even cute and smiled even as the brunet looked around as if there would be some unseen person eavesdropping on their conversation. Finding no one, he still leaned closer to the older man to whisper conspiratorially. 

“There’s only been a few rare times I’ve been loose while in the other form and most of the time I was just running around exploring or hunting small animals if I came across them.” he paused to take a breath. “And I enjoyed it. I can run so fast and in my memories of it, the way I move over the Earth… it almost feels like flying.” he was smiling again but now with none of the pain and Wesker decided he liked this smile of his best. “I wanted to join the Air Force because I could serve my country while also flying. I thought I could have that feeling of freedom without any of the negativity from it being in my other form. But as usual my parents were right and it was just another impossible dream.” the smile was gone and Wesker decided he hated the man’s parents for implanting such a doubtful seed into him concerning the obvious beauty of his other form. 

“Joining the Air Force may be an impossible dream but there are other options.” the blond told him though Chris laughed it off. 

“I have options?” he joked but it only made the blond’s expression harden. 

“You do.” he stated firmly and Chris stared at him, searching for something that he then denied himself by looking away. 

“No I don’t.” he snapped. “I can’t do anything, I’m an uncontrollable dangerous monster.” Wesker wanted more than anything to object, to set him straight on just how amazing he was but he knew anything he said would fall on deaf ears. No words could fix a lifetime of fear. 

“After you can walk and we’ve gone to your house, I want to begin testing your limits in the forest.” the calm statement seemed a sudden change in topic to Chris when really it was still related. Wesker wanted to push him to change deep into the forest where no one would be camping or hiking and allow him to have free reign over the mountain area where he could run all he liked and feel as though he were flying. He could at least do that for him. He would have to get as detailed a map of the forest as he could and find out where all the registered campsites were so he could figure out much much deeper they would need to go. STARS had a small cabin where they stored some of their equipment. They hadn’t been approved for the four wheelers he and Marini had put in a request for due to a difficult SAR case they had last year. He’d have to push for them so he could use one for his forest outings with Chris. Or perhaps if this was going to be a long term situation, which he actually hoped it would be, it might be better to invest in his own mountain equipment. Perhaps his own cabin in the forest to store everything and to stay at while Chris was out and about so he would have a safe place to return to. Of course it would need to be reinforced against attack should Chris find it before he regained control of himself. But now he was getting far ahead of himself again. 

“Okay.” the brunet said a little nervously. “What will we be doing?” 

“I’ll let you know what I decide.” he responded before turning to face the TV to show that he was done with the conversation for now. He wasn’t actually watching whatever was on, though he was sure it was a commercial, he was too busy making his plans. 

… … … 

Chris insisted on sleeping on the couch that night since he was already there and he felt bad about taking Wesker’s bed the past few nights. That was true but he also wanted to switch since the man’s smell had faded from those pillows to be replaced with his own. While the pillow and blanket on the couch and hell the couch itself still held Wesker’s scent since that’s where he’d been sleeping since Chris suddenly moved in with him. It was unspoken between them that their arrangement here may change depending on what they found at his house. He was scared of what he would find… so scared he didn’t want to go. But he had to know what happened to Claire… if her body was still there… or if she’d been taken it would be the best place to look for clues. He would have Wesker with him to help figure it all out, he truly didn’t know what he would do without him. He’d probably be dead or captured by now- definitely without any help finding Claire. He could only hope if she was taken he would still be able to follow her scent but he doubted it. There’d been so much blood… and they would have taken her in a vehicle and it’s been days. Whatever trail there might have been would be gone by now. 

All the negative thoughts that tried to keep him up faded with the calming scent of Wesker under his nose and his standing promise that they would find her. He called him extraordinary. He fully supported everything he was. Wesker saw his dark dangerous secret as something awe inspiring. That made him… incredibly happy. He thought he maybe might be… no, impossible. Could it be? 

Morning came too quickly but he was ready to eat by the time Wesker brought him breakfast. He went three days without eating and not noticing but he was feeling it now. He ate three servings, Wesker had to make extra after they were both dished their first serving since he hadn’t been expecting his massive appetite. Chris was used to eating more than everyone else, something Wesker said wasn’t surprising given his abnormally high metabolism, but it was never this extreme. There were only two other times that he… and he didn’t eat for days but was so psychologically damaged that food was something he still avoided even after he started to feel hungry again. The first time it took months to get him to be okay again but he was never really the same and the second time he took it a little less hard but it still took far too long for him to willingly touch food again. But this time Wesker had him feeling hopefully optimistic, safe, and maybe even just a little confident in himself. It was tiny but it was there. Whenever Wesker complimented his other form, it took him by shock and it felt flattering. But he was mostly confused and even a touch resentful that the blond found something so dangerous that had killed a number of people to be anything but monstrous. Though he figured since Wesker used to be a scientist, maybe it made sense. 

More than anything Chris was just happy to have Wesker home all day since he was off of work. He didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him since he got a call from ‘an old colleague’ that had him quickly leaving the apartment with barely enough spared time to make sure his charge would be okay on his own. He was quick though, back in about half an hour so Chris was still fine when he got back. He carried some packages into the other bedroom which he was told was Wesker’s home office. He spent most of the day in there after drawing some of Chris’s blood and cutting off a small patch of his skin, not even bothering to bandage it. He said blood and tissue samples were enough for now since all he was doing was analyzing his DNA. He spent the next few hours intermittently licking at the small abrasion that hardly bled and was now nearly healed completely. Wesker caught him doing this and took a swab of his saliva too, saying he wanted to test something. 

Chris was fine with the distance because he wasn’t entirely alone and knew if he needed the other, he was available. But he didn’t want to disturb him so he kept to himself and watched TV… even though he wanted to talk more with Wesker. Personally he felt like the day was wasted if they were just going to be separated like this but he figured a full day of anxiety free relief was better than anything he could ask for. Even if they didn’t spend the day together, he felt Wesker nearby and that was relaxing. He knew how dependent he was acting but he wasn’t sure how he could handle Wesker going back to work tomorrow. 

“Chris.” the familiar and comforting voice called from the kitchen. He opened his eyes and blearily looked up at Wesker as he drank from a half empty glass of water. “Do you want dinner?” even half asleep as he was the brunet still picked up on the intended avoidance of the words ‘are you hungry’ and it wasn’t needed. Thinking about food didn’t instantly bring to mind what he had done but there was still a hesitance because he wasn’t sure if his own little sister was among his victim count. He tried not to think about that because there was nothing he could do about it right now. His ankle had to heal and then they could figure it all out together. Then food could just be food again. 

“Mhm.” he muttered though he shifted to lay down fully and closed his eyes again. It was fine to keep dozing off, Wesker would wake him up when it was time to eat. 

“Am I feeding a ravenous animal or a hungry man this time?” his voice called over again and Chris smiled sleepily. 

“Hungry man.” he called back before the blond left him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been slacking on writing. It's weird, when I had no time for anything I sacrificed sleep because I was trying to write as much as I could but now that I have time for it I'm doing other things and now writing as much. It's kinda frustrating. Like why can't I be a good writer while I'm relaxed? Why am I better when I'm suffering?   
> Anyway, just the two getting closer and Wesker finally getting his science time. Still debating what he's going to do with his findings, I mean I know part of it but not the full picture yet. Guess I'll make it up as I go.


End file.
